Chapter 1
The Unexpected Guests
~~~~~
Angel Investigations:
*The night that Connor killed Jasmine*
Angel is sitting on the chair in the foyer telling the gang about Connor, "Jasmine's dead, Connor killed her, he's just given up, and I think he might do something. He might..."
"End world peace? You already did that. Congratulations." Lilah said from the doorway of Wesley's office.
"Lilah." Angel said standing up.
"Angel." Lilah said walking toward him, "What's the matter, Ace? Didn't think you were the only one that got to come back from Hell around here, did ya?" She cleared her throat and said, "Speaking of which, could I possibly get some ice water?"
"What are you doing here, Lilah?" Angel asked.
"She's not here." Wesley cut in. "It's not her, it can't be."
"There's a signed dollar in your wallet that says different." Lilah told Wes.
"It's a lie." Wes said turning away from Lilah.
"La. It's Lilah." She said.
"It's true, Wes. It's her." Angel informed him.
"But, how?" Fred asked. "She was dead."
"She's still dead."
"Vampire?" Gunn asked.
"Eww, please. Angelus drank from me, that's true, but like with most men, it was a one-way street. I was dead already. Besides, my Wesley made sure I was spared, just in case." Lilah said pulling down her scarf, showing them the scar where Wesley had cut off her head. "It's ok, Lover. I didn't feel a thing."
"I'm sure that's true." Wesley said.
"I don't get this." Gunn said. "If she ain't alive and she ain't a vampire. Then, what the hell is she?"
"I'm just the messenger. That's all. They'll be sending me straight back to hell when I'm finished here." Lilah informed them.
"Who's `They'?"
"Wolfram and Hart. The contract she signed with them," Angel said, "extends beyond her death."
"Standard perpetuity clause, I'm afraid. Always read the fine print." Lilah said.
"What's your game, Lilah?"
"No game, in fact, game over. Guess what? You win, which is why I'm here." Lilah said sitting on the sofa in the foyer. "I have been authorized to make you kids an offer."
"You can't possibly think there's anything we'd want from you." Fred told her.
"I don't think you'll want it, but you'll take it, because this is the offer of a life time." Lilah told them. "Just not, you know, mine."
*********************
A black car with the windows painted black was speeding down a Los Angeles street. The car came to a screeching halt in front of a tall building. The driver's side window slowly rolled down, and a pale hand emerged from the car and threw down his cigarette. The man climbed out of the car, and started up the side walk to the tall building. The man walked to the front door of the building and as he reached out his hand to open the door the handle started to turn.
*********************
Meanwhile, inside of Angel Investigations Angel's gang is talking to Lilah about a once in a life time offer. There is a long silence. The only noise they heard was the sounds of the clock ticking and a screeching car.
Finally, Gunn interrupted the long deafening silence by asking, "Could you run that by us one more time?"
"What was unclear?" Lilah asked.
"I think the part where you offered us Wolfram and Hart." Fred answered her.
"Just the L.A. branch." Lilah corrected her.
"Just the L.A. branch. Hi, from another dimension, what the hell does that mean?" Lorne asked.
"It means we give. You win. We're moving out. The senior partners are ceding this territory to you, and to prove it, they want to give you controlling interest in our L.A. office. You get the building, assets, personnel, letterhead, paper clips, all of it. It's yours to do with as you see fit." Lilah told them.
"But there's no Los Angeles office of Wolfram and Hart. The Beast destroyed it." Fred reminded her.
"Oh, it's back, re-staffed and Zombie-free. We're bigger, better, and shinier then ever, and we want to give it to you."
"You want to give us your evil law firm? We're not lawyers." Gunn said.
"Or evil." Fred added. "Currently."
"What we're offering you is a turnkey, state-of-the-art, multi- tasking operation. What you do with it, well, that's up to you." Lilah said.
"Why?" Angel asked.
"Well, I thought that was obvious. You earned it. Think of it as a reward."
"Reward for what?" Gunn asked.
"Ending world peace."
"That's not what happened." Fred said.
"No?"
"Jasmine was creating a slave state." Wesley cut in.
"Right, where the slaves are full of giggly joy and love. Ugh, what a nightmare."
"She was eating people." Angel said.
"They knew what they were getting into."
"Her stomach?" Lorne asked outraged.
"World peace comes at a price, Jasmine understood that, she consumed, what? Couple dozen souls a day? Now weigh that against ending the suffering of millions, but you fixed that."
"No we didn't. I--I mean, we did, we--we fixed it, but not in the way that you're trying to make it sound." Fred said.
"Jeez, it's not like it was a criticism. Anyway, I'm dead and running late. Think about our proposal. If any one's interested and wants the grand tour. There'll be a limo waiting outside just before dawn. And hey... good job." Lilah said walking out the front door.
"We ended a nefarious Global Domination Scheme, not world peace." Fred said when Lilah was gone. "Right?" Then they all turned around and looked at Angel for answers.
*********************
The pale man jumped behind a bush that was beside the door as the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman, wearing a purple scarf around her neck. He watched the woman descend the stairs and round the corner. Once she was out of sight the pale man stepped out from behind the bush and slowly pushed the door open.
*********************
Angel had his back to the gang, and was thinking about his son. Fred was saying something, but Angel wasn't listening.
"Angel," Fred said trying to get his attention.
"Huh?" Angel asked turning around to look at Fred. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"I said..." She began.
"Hello, Daddy," a voice said behind them.
Everyone turned around and looked at the blonde vampire that had just walked through the door.
"Spike," Wes said surprised to see the legendary vampire.
"Spike." Angel said with disgust.
"That's Spike?" Gunn asked from behind the counter.
"Who's Spike?" Fred asked.
"William the Bloody. The worst vampire ever recorded, second only to..."
"Me," Angel said, interrupting Wesley.
Spike clapped his hands slowly four times, as he descended the stairs, and said, "Great welcoming speech. Now, that everyone knows who I am..."
"Spike, what are you doing here?" Angel asked.
"Well, Peaches, if you must know, I need your help."
"Don't call me that." Angel said, "Why would you want my help?"
"I don't want your help, I need your help. If I had a choice, which I don't, I wouldn't be here." Spike spat.
"Why do you need my help? Does this have anything to do with Drucillia?"
Spike was shocked that Angel actually thought he was there trying to get Dru back. He didn't say anything for a second, but when he got his voice back he went off, "God damn, bloke, I'm so over her. If you must know, you damn ninny. Buffy's in trouble and she needs your help."
Now it was Angel's turn to be shocked. Angel stood there for a second letting all of Buffy's and his prior engagements flash before his eyes. When the last memory passed he whispered her name, "Buffy."
The gang just stood there looking at Spike as though they couldn't believe their ears. They didn't hear Angel say Buffy's name because of their lack of vampire hearing, but Spike did. Spike was wondering what to say to get Angel out of his brooding stage when Angel said, "She can handle herself."
"I don't' think she can. If I did I wouldn't be here asking for help."
"She'll be ok, she saves the world all the time without my help." Angel said turning away from the bleach blonde vampire. "Anyway, I'm busy. I have to go find Connor."
"Oh, right, because he's dyeing to be back home. You know if I was him..." Spike started.
"Well, you're not him." Angel said turning around looking daggers at Spike.
"Well, like I was saying, if I was him I would take the first bus far away from you." Spike said coolly.
"Well, why don't you do that, now? Oh right, because Buffy sent you here t..." Angel started.
"Buffy didn't send me here. She doesn't know I'm here. I came here to get your help. She's too busy taking on the First." Spike spat at him.
"You mean the thing that tried to make me kill myself?"
"Yeah, only it's not trying to get rid of worthless vamps, like you, anymore, it's trying to get rid of the whole line of Slayers." Spike said smirking.
"Gunn," Angel said looking over at Gunn.
"I got your back." Gunn said walking out from behind the counter and over to the weaponry cabinet. He took out Angel's sword and threw it across the room to him. Angel caught it, and Gunn continued to dispatch weapons to the rest of the gang. When all of them had a weapon, except Spike, Gunn reached inside the cabinet and grabbed a duffel bag. He filled it with the rest of the weapons, that were in the cabinet.
"Who or what is the First?" Fred asked the question that was on everyone's mind as she caught the crossbow and the arrows that Gunn threw to her.
"The First is the first evil." Angel told them.
"Do you mean the first vampire?" Gunn asked Angel as he zipped up the duffel bag.
"No, it sired the first vampire." Wesley informed them as he checked to see if his sword had a chip or a crack in it.
"Yeah, and it's impossible to kill," Angel said as he walked to his office to get his duster.
"So we're going to risk our necks and not accomplish anything?" Fred asked.
"We'll still accomplish something, but we won't kill it." Angel said.
"How will we accomplish something if we can't kill it?" Gunn asked. "And what exactly is it?"
"You can't kill it because it will always exist as long as there is evil, but we can stop it from killing the Slayer line."
"How? The First is killing the Slayers and we can't kill it so how are we going to stop it?" Fred asked.
"Because the First can't touch anything, all it can do is take the form of anything that has died and influence people to kill for it." Spike said. "Right now it has influenced a priest, hundreds of vampires and some kind of demon that can't see to kill the Slayers and the potential Slayers."
"Oh." Fred said softly.
"Ok, so are we going to let the First stop us, or are we going to fight?" Angel asked them.
"Ok, Peaches, as much as I love this pep talk, Buff's in trouble and this isn't helping her." Spike stated before anyone could answer Angel's question.
"Fine, let's go," Angel said. "Spike, can they ride with you?"
"What? Why?" Fred asked.
"I'm not leaving without my son. So, you guys ride with Spike to Sunnydale and when I find him, I'll meet you guys at Buffy's house." He said pulling his arm through the sleeve of his duster.
"We're not splitting up. We'll all look for Connor." Gunn said picking up the duffel bag from in front of the weaponry cabinet.
"Gunn..." Angel started.
"No, Angel, he has a point." Wes added.
"Of course he does! Ok, look, we'll all go look for Angel's son, then, we're off to help Buffy. Now, no more talking. Let's go." Spike told them, as he headed to the door with his duster billowing out around him.
The gang followed Spike out the door into the night. Gunn behind Spike, then Fred, Wes, Lorne, and Angel bringing up the rear. When everyone was outside, Angel locked the door. They descended the stairs and headed toward Spike's and Angel's cars.
To be continued... Thank you Jerrica and Kasey for encouraging me to start writing fanfiction. Thank you Aunt Karen and Robert for telling me not to give up on writing. Thank you mom and dad for encouraging me to write.
Angel is sitting on the chair in the foyer telling the gang about Connor, "Jasmine's dead, Connor killed her, he's just given up, and I think he might do something. He might..."
"End world peace? You already did that. Congratulations." Lilah said from the doorway of Wesley's office.
"Lilah." Angel said standing up.
"Angel." Lilah said walking toward him, "What's the matter, Ace? Didn't think you were the only one that got to come back from Hell around here, did ya?" She cleared her throat and said, "Speaking of which, could I possibly get some ice water?"
"What are you doing here, Lilah?" Angel asked.
"She's not here." Wesley cut in. "It's not her, it can't be."
"There's a signed dollar in your wallet that says different." Lilah told Wes.
"It's a lie." Wes said turning away from Lilah.
"La. It's Lilah." She said.
"It's true, Wes. It's her." Angel informed him.
"But, how?" Fred asked. "She was dead."
"She's still dead."
"Vampire?" Gunn asked.
"Eww, please. Angelus drank from me, that's true, but like with most men, it was a one-way street. I was dead already. Besides, my Wesley made sure I was spared, just in case." Lilah said pulling down her scarf, showing them the scar where Wesley had cut off her head. "It's ok, Lover. I didn't feel a thing."
"I'm sure that's true." Wesley said.
"I don't get this." Gunn said. "If she ain't alive and she ain't a vampire. Then, what the hell is she?"
"I'm just the messenger. That's all. They'll be sending me straight back to hell when I'm finished here." Lilah informed them.
"Who's `They'?"
"Wolfram and Hart. The contract she signed with them," Angel said, "extends beyond her death."
"Standard perpetuity clause, I'm afraid. Always read the fine print." Lilah said.
"What's your game, Lilah?"
"No game, in fact, game over. Guess what? You win, which is why I'm here." Lilah said sitting on the sofa in the foyer. "I have been authorized to make you kids an offer."
"You can't possibly think there's anything we'd want from you." Fred told her.
"I don't think you'll want it, but you'll take it, because this is the offer of a life time." Lilah told them. "Just not, you know, mine."
*********************
A black car with the windows painted black was speeding down a Los Angeles street. The car came to a screeching halt in front of a tall building. The driver's side window slowly rolled down, and a pale hand emerged from the car and threw down his cigarette. The man climbed out of the car, and started up the side walk to the tall building. The man walked to the front door of the building and as he reached out his hand to open the door the handle started to turn.
*********************
Meanwhile, inside of Angel Investigations Angel's gang is talking to Lilah about a once in a life time offer. There is a long silence. The only noise they heard was the sounds of the clock ticking and a screeching car.
Finally, Gunn interrupted the long deafening silence by asking, "Could you run that by us one more time?"
"What was unclear?" Lilah asked.
"I think the part where you offered us Wolfram and Hart." Fred answered her.
"Just the L.A. branch." Lilah corrected her.
"Just the L.A. branch. Hi, from another dimension, what the hell does that mean?" Lorne asked.
"It means we give. You win. We're moving out. The senior partners are ceding this territory to you, and to prove it, they want to give you controlling interest in our L.A. office. You get the building, assets, personnel, letterhead, paper clips, all of it. It's yours to do with as you see fit." Lilah told them.
"But there's no Los Angeles office of Wolfram and Hart. The Beast destroyed it." Fred reminded her.
"Oh, it's back, re-staffed and Zombie-free. We're bigger, better, and shinier then ever, and we want to give it to you."
"You want to give us your evil law firm? We're not lawyers." Gunn said.
"Or evil." Fred added. "Currently."
"What we're offering you is a turnkey, state-of-the-art, multi- tasking operation. What you do with it, well, that's up to you." Lilah said.
"Why?" Angel asked.
"Well, I thought that was obvious. You earned it. Think of it as a reward."
"Reward for what?" Gunn asked.
"Ending world peace."
"That's not what happened." Fred said.
"No?"
"Jasmine was creating a slave state." Wesley cut in.
"Right, where the slaves are full of giggly joy and love. Ugh, what a nightmare."
"She was eating people." Angel said.
"They knew what they were getting into."
"Her stomach?" Lorne asked outraged.
"World peace comes at a price, Jasmine understood that, she consumed, what? Couple dozen souls a day? Now weigh that against ending the suffering of millions, but you fixed that."
"No we didn't. I--I mean, we did, we--we fixed it, but not in the way that you're trying to make it sound." Fred said.
"Jeez, it's not like it was a criticism. Anyway, I'm dead and running late. Think about our proposal. If any one's interested and wants the grand tour. There'll be a limo waiting outside just before dawn. And hey... good job." Lilah said walking out the front door.
"We ended a nefarious Global Domination Scheme, not world peace." Fred said when Lilah was gone. "Right?" Then they all turned around and looked at Angel for answers.
*********************
The pale man jumped behind a bush that was beside the door as the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman, wearing a purple scarf around her neck. He watched the woman descend the stairs and round the corner. Once she was out of sight the pale man stepped out from behind the bush and slowly pushed the door open.
*********************
Angel had his back to the gang, and was thinking about his son. Fred was saying something, but Angel wasn't listening.
"Angel," Fred said trying to get his attention.
"Huh?" Angel asked turning around to look at Fred. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"I said..." She began.
"Hello, Daddy," a voice said behind them.
Everyone turned around and looked at the blonde vampire that had just walked through the door.
"Spike," Wes said surprised to see the legendary vampire.
"Spike." Angel said with disgust.
"That's Spike?" Gunn asked from behind the counter.
"Who's Spike?" Fred asked.
"William the Bloody. The worst vampire ever recorded, second only to..."
"Me," Angel said, interrupting Wesley.
Spike clapped his hands slowly four times, as he descended the stairs, and said, "Great welcoming speech. Now, that everyone knows who I am..."
"Spike, what are you doing here?" Angel asked.
"Well, Peaches, if you must know, I need your help."
"Don't call me that." Angel said, "Why would you want my help?"
"I don't want your help, I need your help. If I had a choice, which I don't, I wouldn't be here." Spike spat.
"Why do you need my help? Does this have anything to do with Drucillia?"
Spike was shocked that Angel actually thought he was there trying to get Dru back. He didn't say anything for a second, but when he got his voice back he went off, "God damn, bloke, I'm so over her. If you must know, you damn ninny. Buffy's in trouble and she needs your help."
Now it was Angel's turn to be shocked. Angel stood there for a second letting all of Buffy's and his prior engagements flash before his eyes. When the last memory passed he whispered her name, "Buffy."
The gang just stood there looking at Spike as though they couldn't believe their ears. They didn't hear Angel say Buffy's name because of their lack of vampire hearing, but Spike did. Spike was wondering what to say to get Angel out of his brooding stage when Angel said, "She can handle herself."
"I don't' think she can. If I did I wouldn't be here asking for help."
"She'll be ok, she saves the world all the time without my help." Angel said turning away from the bleach blonde vampire. "Anyway, I'm busy. I have to go find Connor."
"Oh, right, because he's dyeing to be back home. You know if I was him..." Spike started.
"Well, you're not him." Angel said turning around looking daggers at Spike.
"Well, like I was saying, if I was him I would take the first bus far away from you." Spike said coolly.
"Well, why don't you do that, now? Oh right, because Buffy sent you here t..." Angel started.
"Buffy didn't send me here. She doesn't know I'm here. I came here to get your help. She's too busy taking on the First." Spike spat at him.
"You mean the thing that tried to make me kill myself?"
"Yeah, only it's not trying to get rid of worthless vamps, like you, anymore, it's trying to get rid of the whole line of Slayers." Spike said smirking.
"Gunn," Angel said looking over at Gunn.
"I got your back." Gunn said walking out from behind the counter and over to the weaponry cabinet. He took out Angel's sword and threw it across the room to him. Angel caught it, and Gunn continued to dispatch weapons to the rest of the gang. When all of them had a weapon, except Spike, Gunn reached inside the cabinet and grabbed a duffel bag. He filled it with the rest of the weapons, that were in the cabinet.
"Who or what is the First?" Fred asked the question that was on everyone's mind as she caught the crossbow and the arrows that Gunn threw to her.
"The First is the first evil." Angel told them.
"Do you mean the first vampire?" Gunn asked Angel as he zipped up the duffel bag.
"No, it sired the first vampire." Wesley informed them as he checked to see if his sword had a chip or a crack in it.
"Yeah, and it's impossible to kill," Angel said as he walked to his office to get his duster.
"So we're going to risk our necks and not accomplish anything?" Fred asked.
"We'll still accomplish something, but we won't kill it." Angel said.
"How will we accomplish something if we can't kill it?" Gunn asked. "And what exactly is it?"
"You can't kill it because it will always exist as long as there is evil, but we can stop it from killing the Slayer line."
"How? The First is killing the Slayers and we can't kill it so how are we going to stop it?" Fred asked.
"Because the First can't touch anything, all it can do is take the form of anything that has died and influence people to kill for it." Spike said. "Right now it has influenced a priest, hundreds of vampires and some kind of demon that can't see to kill the Slayers and the potential Slayers."
"Oh." Fred said softly.
"Ok, so are we going to let the First stop us, or are we going to fight?" Angel asked them.
"Ok, Peaches, as much as I love this pep talk, Buff's in trouble and this isn't helping her." Spike stated before anyone could answer Angel's question.
"Fine, let's go," Angel said. "Spike, can they ride with you?"
"What? Why?" Fred asked.
"I'm not leaving without my son. So, you guys ride with Spike to Sunnydale and when I find him, I'll meet you guys at Buffy's house." He said pulling his arm through the sleeve of his duster.
"We're not splitting up. We'll all look for Connor." Gunn said picking up the duffel bag from in front of the weaponry cabinet.
"Gunn..." Angel started.
"No, Angel, he has a point." Wes added.
"Of course he does! Ok, look, we'll all go look for Angel's son, then, we're off to help Buffy. Now, no more talking. Let's go." Spike told them, as he headed to the door with his duster billowing out around him.
The gang followed Spike out the door into the night. Gunn behind Spike, then Fred, Wes, Lorne, and Angel bringing up the rear. When everyone was outside, Angel locked the door. They descended the stairs and headed toward Spike's and Angel's cars.
To be continued... Thank you Jerrica and Kasey for encouraging me to start writing fanfiction. Thank you Aunt Karen and Robert for telling me not to give up on writing. Thank you mom and dad for encouraging me to write.